WHO warns of increasing deadly cholera outbreaks
- May 19, 2023
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This Friday, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned of an alarming increase in cholera outbreaks around the world, mainly in eastern and southern Africa, this year and a
This Friday, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned of an alarming increase in cholera outbreaks around the world, mainly in eastern and southern Africa, this year and a high death rate.
From January to mid-May, new outbreaks of cholera were observed in 24 countries, although more than 1 billion people in 43 countries are at risk, according to WHO director of global cholera response Henry Gray.
The most serious cases are currently reported in Mozambique and Malawi, where 90,000 people were affected by cholera in the first three months of 2023, coinciding with severe flooding.
Burundi, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia, Syria, Zambia and Zimbabwe are in a situation of “acute crisis”.
“We must prepare for an increasing number of cases,” the specialist warned.
Problems with access to drinking water and basic sanitation services are the main cause of cholera epidemics, which are exacerbated in cases of conflict due to the mass displacements they cause.
“Here we are talking about addressing issues of access to water, hygiene and human dignity. A vaccine can help stop the chain of transmission as a preventive measure, but the foundation of everything is to guarantee quick access to water and sanitation,” Gray said.
WHO has indicated that there are very few resources to deal with this situation, as well as the production of vaccines, the stocks of which barely allow partial immunization of the communities most at risk.
Of the 18 million doses needed, only 8 million are available, so prevention campaigns in high-risk areas had to be interrupted, according to the agency.
In addition, WHO was forced to reduce the doses administered from two to one in order to protect – at least for a shorter time – more people from those at greater risk of death, such as children.
“Cholera kills quickly, and so we must respond quickly to save lives,” Jérôme Pfaffmann Zambruni, head of UNICEF’s public health and emergency department, told reporters.
To this end, WHO and UNICEF have launched a joint annual disease response plan that will cover actions in 40 countries and require more than $600 million. EFE
Source: Aristegui Noticias
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